Container with adjustable date indicium

ABSTRACT

A closure for a container has a plurality of indicia such as date and/or time, disposed on the lid&#39;s top surface, with a rotary collar which is adjustable to a fixed position to highlight (select) indicia regarding the contents of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Breast milk may be stored in a refrigerator, such as for five to sevendays. Frozen breast milk may be stored in a freezer, such as for up tosix months. Containers of stored human breast milk are often desired tobe identified by a day and even time of the day when the milk wasexpressed, which may indicate first, second, and third pumping sessions,or first, second, and third feeding of the day, etc. Some commonlabeling methods include a hand-made label from masking tape, amanufactured adhesive labeling material, or a piece of paper held to theside of the container with a rubber band. Tape and adhesive labelscreate a problem in that they must be overwritten or removed for reuseof the container. Rubber bands break, or lose the attached note. Theselabeling methods thus could stand improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with significant objectives of the invention, a novelcontainer allows the user a means of readily indicating identifyinginformation related to the contents of the container, such as day andtime of day, when the contents were put into the container, or put instorage, or some other event associated with the contents. Preferably,the container closure includes indicia that are variously selectable bythe user for repeated use of the container with changing of the indiciafrom time to time.

In one form, the invention may be attached to a cap or cap-like closurefor the container. It may be an original part of the container, or actas a replacement for a container's preexisting closure. Whichever, theinvention may be applied to a container or product in a mannerappropriate to the product and application. For instance, the inventioncould be part of or associated with a carton or bag, but not necessarilyas a closure therefor. However, in its preferred form, the invention ismost typically going to be as part of the closure.

The intended use of the invention is to provide the user and end userwith an easy labeling solution that is intuitive (easy to use), lesslabor intensive, and less prone to error or interpretations, among otherthings. While described herein in the environment of breastmilkexpression, storage and feeding, the use of this invention is notlimited only to the storage of breast milk. Additionally, there areaspects of the invention directed to self-tolerancing features, toaccommodate dimensional changes which may occur due to, but not limitedto, multiple washing cycles, environment, normal wear, etc. Theinvention can allow for dimensional changes that may occur betweenmating components.

Thus, in a first aspect of the invention, a closure for a containercomprises: (a) a lid with a top surface, a substantially cylindricalsidewall and a flange, wherein a plurality of date indicia are disposedon the lid's top surface, and wherein the sidewall defines an annularchannel; (b) one or more ridges are disposed on the flange; (c) acollar, wherein the collar defines an aperture, through which the dateindicia will be variously and selectably visible when the collar isassociated with the lid through a rotary mounting thereof, the collarfurther having an exterior wall with an inner surface and an outersurface; (d) a plurality of channels formed on the collar exteriorwall's inner surface; and (e) one or more tongues extending from thecollar exterior wall's inner surface, with a detent formed at a free endof each of the one or more tongues that can engage in the lid's sidewallannular channel. When so engaged, the collar is freely rotatable toselect a date on the lid by locating the date in the aperture (window)of the collar. The collar is then moved axially relative to the lid,thereby taking the detent out of the annular channel, and engaging alatching mechanism between the lid and collar to fix the date indiciumin the aperture.

The invention further contemplates a closure for a container including alid having a top surface and a substantially cylindrical sidewall, withan annular channel formed in the lid sidewall. Indicia indicative ofdiffering dates and/or times are provided on the lid. Note that theindicia could be days of the week, months, time or even some other kindof temporal indicator related to the contents of the container. Indeed,the indicia need not be just of a temporal nature, so long as they areselectable in the manner described.

A collar is associated with the foregoing lid. The collar fits onto thelid on a common central axis. The collar has a see-through area formedtherein, which could be an aperture, a transparent area, a window, orthe like, which will function to locate an indicium therein. The collarfurther has a sidewall with an inner surface facing the lid sidewallwhen the collar is mounted to the lid.

In this embodiment, at least one flexible member extends from the collartoward the lid sidewall. Preferably, the flexible member includes a partengaging within the annular channel of the lid in the first position,wherein the collar is rotatable about the lid. There is a secondposition wherein the collar is moved axially, with the detent then beingmoved out of the annular channel of the lid. In this second position, alatching mechanism between the collar and the lid becomes engaged, whichlatches the collar in place in the second position, with the chosenindicium/indicia visible through the see-through area of the collar, theindicium having been selected through rotation of the collar on the lidwhen in the first position.

Put perhaps even more broadly, a contents indicator for a container isprovided having a base with indicia thereon indicative of differingdates and/or times. A selector part is rotatably mounted with the base,the selector part having a common central axis with the base and asee-through area formed therein (such as on a top, or in a sidewall).The selector part sidewall has an inner surface facing a base sidewall.

The selector part has a first position wherein it is rotatable about thebase, and a second position wherein it is moved axially of the base intoa latching condition.

A latching mechanism is between the selector part and the base whichlatches the selector part in place in the second position, whereby thedate and/or time indicia are variously visible through the see-througharea of the selector part and selectable through rotation of theselector part on the base when in the first position.

The foregoing embodiment advantageously has an upper ring and a lowerring on the base (e.g., lid), sidewall, which rings are concentric withthe axis and are respectively on opposite axial sides of a groove formedin the lid sidewall. The groove receives a flexible member therein,which extends from the selector part. The upper ring forms a stop forthe flexible member against removal of the selector part from the lid,and the lower ring engages with the flexible member to hold the selectorpart in the second position.

In the same embodiment, the latching mechanism comprises a plurality ofteeth located on one of the lid and the selector part. The teeth areengageable with complementary notches formed on the other of the lid andselector part when the selector part is in the second position. Thelower ring has a lower edge which is engaged by the flexible member inthe second position to maintain the teeth within the notches to therebyprevent rotary movement of the selector part.

The plurality of indicia may comprise a first set of indicia for a dayof the week, and a second set of indicia for time of day. The time ofday indicia in one form is located on the selector part adjacent thesee-through area, and is selectable through location of the see-througharea relative to the day indicium selected. This can be done, forinstance, by having the time of day indicia (e.g., “a.m.” and “p.m.”)noted a little left and a little right of the center line of thesee-through area, so that by canting the see-through area a little leftor right of center, a time of day is indicated.

As will further be appreciated, the base and selector part need not belimited to just a rotary mounting, so long as they are relativelymovable. So too, the location of the indicia and the selector for theindicia could be switched, such that one of the base and the selectorpart has indicia thereon indicative of differing dates and/or times, andthe other of the base and the selector part has an indicator thereon.

The latching mechanism previously discussed can likewise be reversedbetween the base and selector part. For instance, an embodiment providesthe base having a base sidewall and the selector part having a selectorpart sidewall, with said sidewalls being in spaced relation with theselector part sidewall outboard to the base sidewall when the base andselector part are mounted together. One of the base sidewall or flangeand the selector part sidewall will, in this form of the latchingmechanism, have an annular groove formed thereon concentric with acommon axis, and further include at least one flexible member extendingfrom the other of the selector part sidewall and the base sidewall orflange, with the flexible member including a part engaging within theannular groove in the first (movable) position.

The invention further provides for a method for indicating informationabout the contents of a container. The method comprises providing abase, a selector part mounted with the base, such that the selector parthas a first position wherein the selector part is movable relative tothe base, and a second position wherein the selector part is moved intoa latching condition relative to the base. One of the base and theselector part has indicia thereon indicative of differing dates and/ortimes, and the other of the base and the selector part having anindicator thereon. A latching mechanism is further provided between theselector part and the base which latches them in place in the secondposition.

A force is applied to one or both of the base and selector part tounlatch them and place them in the first position. The selector part isthen rotated about the base to align the indicator with a selectedindicium. Then another and opposite force is applied to one or both ofthe base and selector part to place the selector part in the second andlatched position. In this manner, date and/or time indicia are variouslyselectable through movement of the selector part on the base when in thefirst position, with that selection maintained in the second and latchedposition.

The present invention will be further appreciated, and its attributesand advantages further understood, with reference to the detaileddescription below of examples of presently contemplated embodiments,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is top view of an embodiment of a lid made in accordance withthe invention, without a collar in place;

FIG. 1B is side view of the lid of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a bottom view of the lid shown in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1D is top view of a collar prior to placement on the lid shown inFIG. 1A;

FIG. 1E is a side view of the collar shown in FIG. 1D;

FIG. 1F is a bottom view of the collar of FIG. 1E;

FIG. 2A is an exploded elevational view of the closure for a containermade in accordance with the invention, with the lid in position on acontainer;

FIG. 2B is an exploded perspective view of the closure for a containerof FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is an elevational cross-sectional view of an embodiment of aclosure for a container, made in accordance with the invention, in thetop insertion position;

FIG. 3B is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional detail view of aportion of the closure for a container shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is an elevational cross-sectional view of an embodiment of aclosure for a container, made in accordance with the invention, in theremoval stop position;

FIG. 4B is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional detail view of aportion of the closure for a container shown in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A is an elevational cross-sectional view of an embodiment of aclosure for a container, made in accordance with the invention, in theset position;

FIG. 5B is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional detail view of aportion of the closure for a container shown in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6A is an elevational cross-sectional view of an embodiment of aclosure for a container, made in accordance with the invention, in thelatched position;

FIG. 6B is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional detail view of aportion of the closure for a container shown in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7A is a top sectional view of a closure for a container made inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 7B is a perspective of the sectional view shown in FIG. 7A, inposition on a container;

FIG. 8A is an elevational view of a closure for a container made inaccordance with the invention, with the lid and collar mated and inposition on a container;

FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the closure for a container shown inFIG. 8A, with the lid and collar mated and in position on a container;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view similar to that of, e.g.,FIG. 3B, but of a different latching mechanism arrangement;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial sectional view similar to that of, e.g.,FIG. 3B, but of yet another different latching mechanism arrangement;

FIG. 11A is an exploded elevational view similar to that of, e.g., FIG.2A, but of yet another different latching mechanism arrangement;

FIG. 11B is an exploded perspective view of the closure for a containerof FIG. 11A;

FIG. 11C is an exploded elevational, cross-sectional view similar tothat of, e.g., FIG. 3A, (without the container) of the embodiment ofFIG. 11A;

FIG. 11D is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional detail view of aportion of the closure for a container shown in FIG. 11C;

FIG. 11E is a cross-sectional view of the closure mechanism arrangementof FIG. 11A combined together in a latched condition;

FIG. 11F is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional detail view of aportion of the closure for a container shown in FIG. 11E;

FIG. 11G is a cross-sectional view similar to that of, e.g., FIG. 11E inthe set position;

FIG. 11H is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional detail view of aportion of the closure for a container shown in FIG. 11G; and

FIG. 12 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2B, but showing a modifiedembodiment with the indicia and indicator reversed in presentation onthe lid and collar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In a first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1F, a closure for acontainer has a lid 12 with a top surface 14, a substantiallycylindrical sidewall 16 and a flange 18. A plurality of date indicia 20are disposed on the lid's top surface 14, as by molding or printingthereon. The sidewall 16 defines an annular channel 22. One or moreridges 24 are disposed on the flange 18.

Container 19 has an upper container sidewall 21 (see, e.g., FIG. 3B).

A collar 26 has an aperture 28 in what will be the top of the closure.The collar 26 has an exterior wall 30 with an inner surface 32 and anouter surface 34. A plurality of channels 36 are formed on the exteriorwall's inner surface 32. One or more tongues 38 extend from the exteriorwall's inner surface 32. A detent 40 is formed at a free end of each ofthe tongues 38.

As shown in FIGS. 1C and 2A-B, the lid 12 is designed to be mated with acontainer through, for example, threads 42. Other attachments well-knownin the art, such as a snap-fit, could be employed. The collar 26 is inplace over the lid in a top insertion position, shown in FIGS. 3A-B,such that the detents 40 of each of the tongues 38 are resting againstthe lid's top surface 14. In one embodiment, the annular channel 22 isformed between an annular upper detent 44 and an annular lower detent46, and the detents 40 are in contact with the upper detent 44 in thetop insertion position. Force is then applied to the collar until thetongues 38 flex outwardly and the detents 40 slide over the chamferedtop surface of the annular upper detent 44 and into the annular channel22, such that the collar 26 is removably attached to the lid 12.

As shown in FIGS. 4A-B, the lower edge of the upper detent 44 acts as alocking detent, requiring the user to apply a greater force to separatethe collar 26 from the lid 12 than is required to mate them together.When the detents 40 are disposed in the annular channel 22, shown inFIGS. 5A-B, the collar 26 is in the “set” position, and is freelyrotatable about the lid 12. This allows the user to rotate collar 26 toalign the aperture 28 with the appropriate date indicia 20.

The date indicia are spaced on the lid's top surface 14 relative to theone or more ridges, while the plurality of channels 36 are spaced toreceive the one or more ridges 24 in a latched position, illustrated inFIGS. 6A-B. This plurality of channels 36 may be substantially equallyspaced apart on the exterior wall 30. The number of channels isdependent on both the number of date indicia 20 along the top surface 14of the lid 12 and any supplemental date indicia 50 that may appear onthe collar (as discussed below).

Once the date indicium is selected, the user applies a force to thecollar 26, which causes tongues 38 to flex outward and slide the detents40 over the annular lower detent 46. The collar 26 is now in a latchedposition (see FIGS. 6A-B, 7A-B, and 8A-B), with the one or more ridges24 resting within one or more of the plurality of channels 36,preventing rotation of the collar 26 about the lid 12. The width of thechannels is preferably slightly larger than the width of the one or moreridges 24 to substantially prevent play or slight rotation of the collar26 about the lid 12 in the latched position. If the user wishes toselect different date indicia 20, the lower detent 46 is chamfered onboth its top and bottom edges to facilitate moving the tongue detents 40back into the “set” position in the annular channel 22.

In one embodiment, the lid 12 defines a raised portion 48 and theaperture 28 is shaped to receive the raised portion 48 in the latchedposition. In another embodiment, the lid 12 again defines a raisedportion 48, and the collar 26 defines an opening (not shown), differentfrom the aperture 28, that is shaped to receive the raised portion 48 inthe latched position.

The plurality of date indicia 20 can comprise a first set of indicia 20and a second set of indicia 50. The date indicia 20, 50 may comprise anyindication of date or time that would be useful to track for the givencontents of the container, for example, hours, minutes, dates, days ofthe week, morning (a.m.), evening (p.m.), etc. The collar 26 can containthe second set of date indicia 50, that preferably supplements the firstset of date indicia 20 provided on the lid 12. For example, in FIGS. 1Aand 1D, the lid 12 lists the days of the week 20, while the collar 26allows the user to specify morning (a.m.) or evening (p.m.) 50 for theselected day.

In one embodiment, the interior surface 32 is discontinuous. Thediscontinuity may constitute a single break or many breaks that allowthe interior wall to flex outwardly, when the collar 26 is attached andremoved from the lid.

As noted, while the preferred form of the invention is a closure for acontainer, the invention could readily be adapted to some other part ofthe container. Thus, the lid becomes a base upon which a selectorelement is rotatably mounted, with other parts previously describedtranslating into this non-closure embodiment.

Another aspect of the invention is a method using the closure of thetype described, where the method comprises: (a) positioning the collar26 over the lid 12; (b) applying a force to one or both of the collar 26and the lid 12 until the one or more tongue detents 40 are received inthe annular channel 22; (c) rotating the collar 26 about the lid 12 toalign the aperture 28 over one of the plurality of date indicia 20; and(d) applying a force to one or both of the collar 26 and the lid 12until the one or more ridges 24 are disposed between at least one of theplurality of channels 36.

Turning now to FIG. 9, an alternative embodiment of a latching mechanismis illustrated. Recalling that like numbers indicate like parts to thosealready described above, this embodiment has two detents in the form ofbeads 60 and 61. These beads 60, 61 are formed on the outboard side ofthe lid sidewall 16, and are parallel to each other and concentric witha central axis to the lid 12 and collar 26.

In this variant, the tongues 38 have an annular groove or channel 64which receives bead 60 when the collar 26 is in the latched position. Afurther annular groove 66 is provided, which is more conforming to thecurved outboard surface of the beads 60, 61. There are rims locatedabove (63) and below (65) the groove 66.

It will be noted that the condition of the collar 26 relative to the lidtop 14 is in the latched position in FIG. 9. Movement of the collar 26axially upwardly (i.e., moving the collar 26 and lid 12 more apart),would place groove 66 along with rims 63, 65 in a trough formed betweenbeads 60, 61 for free rotary movement of the collar 26 and indiciumselection. Further axial movement in the same direction would place bead60 in the groove 66, in a position to generally prevent removal of thecollar from the lid.

FIG. 10 is yet another embodiment of a latching mechanism. Here, thegeneral positioning of the flexible latching element with its detent, asdiscussed with respect to FIGS. 1 through 8, has been reversed betweenthe collar 26 and lid 12. Accordingly, collar 26 now has an annulargroove or channel 70 within which a detent bead 72 carried on theoutboard side of lid sidewall 16 can selectively engage. Bead 72 is partof a crown-like element 74, which extends from a root on the sidewall 16(FIG. 10) and upwardly and outwardly, with bead 72 around the rimthereof. Note that this crown-like element 74 may be periodically brokenby sinuses or vertical gaps, to yield more flexibility to radialmovement (flexing) of the bead 72 relative to the collar 26. Thiscrown-like element 74 is essentially like an inverted and more solid(integral) form of the tongues 38 previously discussed.

As shown in FIG. 10, the bead 72 is engaged in another groove 76, whichhere functions much like that of groove 66 discussed in relation to FIG.9. The lid and collar are shown in a latched condition in FIG. 10. Forindicium selection, collar 26 would be moved axially upwardly to the lidtop 14 (as viewed in FIG. 10), to thereby place the bead 72 within theannular groove 70 for freewheeling rotary movement of the collar 26. Anenlarged shoulder 78 formed at the bottom of the annular groove 70serves as a stop to undesired removal of the collar from the lid (as byfurther axial movement to separate the two).

Turning to FIGS. 11A to 11H, there is depicted yet a further embodimentmodified from that of FIG. 10. Here, instead of a cantilever structurelike that of crown-like element 74, a vertical wall 85 is provided. Thisvertical wall 85 extends from the flange 18. The bead 72 is shown herein the form of a series of beads 86 spaced on the outboard side of thevertical wall near the top thereof. Note that this vertical wall 85could likewise be a series of vertical tongues, spaced about the flange18.

The collar 26 in this embodiment has a depending wall 88 having anannular groove or channel 70 and another groove 76 like those previouslydescribed with these numbers. In terms of function, the vertical wall 85with its beads 86 interacts with the depending wall 88 of the collarsubstantially in the same manner as described with respect to the FIG.10 embodiment. Note that FIG. 11E shows this embodiment in a latchedcondition, while FIG. 11G shows it in the set position (for setting thedate/time indicium).

Now turning to FIG. 12, this embodiment simply illustrates how the dateindicium 20 can be provided on the collar 26, instead of on the lid orbase 12, as in previously discussed embodiments. An indicator for theselector is shown as an arrow 80, which is provided on the lid top 84.Collar 26 fits over the lid top 84 in a manner as previously described,except here the lid top 84 has been slightly modified (from lid top 14)so that the lid top 84 extends through an enlarged opening or aperture82 formed in the collar. Lid top 84, of course, could be flush with thecollar top, or below the collar top, or even visible through atransparent area provided in the collar top; the point is that theindicator 80 can be seen in use, and aligned with a selected indicium20. A latching mechanism between the collar 26 and the lid 12 of a typepreviously described above would be used with this embodiment.

Note that many aspects of the foregoing embodiments may be combinedtogether to practice the claimed invention. Thus, while a multitude ofembodiments have been variously described herein, those of skill in thisart will recognize that different embodiments show different potentialfeatures and designs that can be used in the other embodiments. Evenmore variations, applications and modifications will still fall withinthe spirit and scope of the invention, all as intended to come withinthe scope of the following claims.

1. A closure for a container, comprising: a lid comprising a topsurface, a substantially cylindrical sidewall and a flange, wherein aplurality of date indicia are disposed about said lid's top surface,wherein said sidewall defines an annular channel, wherein said annularchannel is formed between an upper ring and a lower ring, and whereinthe lower edge of the upper ring acts as a stop against removal of saidcollar from said lid; one or more ridges disposed on said flange; acollar, wherein said collar defines an aperture, and has an exteriorwall with an inner surface and an outer surface; a plurality of channelsformed on said collar exterior wall's inner surface; and one or moretongues extending from said collar exterior wall's inner surface,wherein a detent is formed at a free end of each of said one or moretongues; said collar fitting onto said lid with a common central axiswith said lid, said collar inner surface facing said lid sidewall, saiddetent engaging within said annular channel of said lid in a firstposition wherein said collar is rotatable about said lid, and a secondposition wherein said collar is moved axially with said detent moved outof said annular channel of said lid and said collar is placed into alocked engagement with said one or more ridges of said flange engagedwithin respective ones of said plurality of channels on said collarinner surface, whereby said plurality of date indicia are variouslyvisible through said aperture of said collar and selectable throughrotation of said collar on said lid when in said first position.
 2. Theclosure of claim 1, wherein said collar is in a set position when saidone or more tongue detents are positioned in said annular channel andsaid collar is in a latched position when said one or more ridges restwithin said plurality of channels.
 3. The closure of claim 1, whereinsaid plurality of channels are spaced to receive said one or more ridgesin a latched and locked position.
 4. The closure of claim 1, whereinsaid plurality of channels are substantially equally spaced apart onsaid exterior wall.
 5. The closure of claim 1, wherein said lid definesa raised portion and said aperture is shaped to receive said raisedportion in a latched position.
 6. The closure of claim 1, wherein saidlid defines a raised portion and said collar defines an opening shapedto receive said raised portion in a latched position.
 7. The closure ofclaim 1, wherein said plurality of date indicia comprises a first set ofindicia for a day of the week, and a second set of indicia for time ofday, said time of day indicia being located on said collar adjacent saidaperture, and being selectable through location of said collar relativeto said day indicium selected.
 8. A method using said closure for acontainer of claim 1, comprising: positioning said collar over said lid;applying a force to one or both of said collar and said lid until saidone or more tongue detents are received in said annular channel;rotating said collar about said lid to align said aperture over one ofsaid plurality of date indicia; applying a force to one or both of saidcollar and said lid until said one or more ridges are disposed in arespective one or more of said plurality of channels.